Scottish Oatcakes

We woke up to the kind of June day we used to get in Laguna Niguel.  Kind of overcast and cool.  It is  called June Gloom at the beaches in Southern California.  Keep this in mind if you want to go there for a sunny vacation.  After the miserable humidity and heat from last week, it was a nice change.  I think that is the only thing that keeps us from hating summers, here.  When you think it is all terrible, there is a dramatic thunderstorm and the next day is cooler and you think that you could possibly survive until fall.

For some reason, this made a perfect day to bake something.  I have been planning to bake for some time.  Lee and I have both been on a salad kick.  We are trying to keep from gaining weight and so we haven't made or bought any baked goods.  Also, I am not working so I can't take food to the library to keep from eating it myself.  We invited last minute company over for coffee and only had Girl Scout cookies to serve them.

I decided to make some Scottish Oatcakes.  They are healthy...OATMEAL... and versatile.  You can eat them for breakfast with some jam or for a snack with some cheese or chutney...or both!  Whatever way you choose to eat them, they should be eaten right from the oven, or if you have made them ahead of time, you should toast them a bit before eating.  I usually use a tray in the toaster oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Scottish Oatcakes

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 salt
1 stick of butter, sliced into pieces ( it can be reduced to as little as 1/2 stick if you are counting fat grams)
1/2 cup buttermilk 

(I had buttermilk left over from making scones.  I couldn't find a smaller container.  That is how I decided to make the oatcakes.  I still have some buttermilk left.    Maybe some pancakes next?)

Preheat oven to 350.  Place oats in a large bowl.  Sift in the next 4 ingredients, so it is easiest just to rest the sifter on the oats and dump them in and sift.  Mix well.

                                    

You have to cut in the butter.  The way I do it is to unwrap the butter and slice it right on the wrapper.  Then slice cross wise. 

                                   

Dump that into the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter.  If you don't use Silpats, and I highly recommend them, use the paper the butter was wrapped in to butter some cookie sheets.

It is hard to completely mix in the butter because of the texture of the oatmeal.  I don't worry too much about it because I will knead it a few times to finish mixing.

                                  

Clean the counters.  I know you just did it, but do it again.  Or use a very clean cutting board.  I have granite counter tops and so I use them.  Keep about a cup of flour in a measuring cup.  Sprinkle some on the counter top and then dump out the dough.  Sprinkle some flour on the dough and knead a few times.  Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Roll out the dough and cut it into circles.  I used a 2 inch cutter.  

                                       

I like to dump a small pile of flour next to the rolled out dough. Before each cut, I tap the cutter into the flour.  This helps to keep it from sticking.  Knead the scraps and re roll and cut until there is no more dough.  Another little hint.  I take the last bit and drop it into the cutter and gently smash it flat, so that it doesn't come out all wonky.  Unless you want wonky.  It is a good excuse to eat it yourself, because you couldn't possible serve it to guests!

Bake until the edges of the oatcakes are golden brown, about 12 minutes.  Cool the racks a few minutes before removing the oatcakes to a cooling rack.  I made extra and will freeze them.  When I want more I will toast them a bit.  I would have to do that anyway.  This way I will have fresh ones when I need and I won't have them looking at me all week.  I hate it when food taunts me and FORCES me to eat that which I shouldn't.


  


Hey, Jackie. Want to come back for coffee? I have something to feed you, now!